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Roncesvalles

I've arrived at Roncesvalles, for the first night in Spain.  
Breakfast at last night's Auberge was strictly 7 to 7-30, and since I had everything ready I started just after 7-30, with the sun just properly up.  From there it's around 10 km and once again 700m of climb to the top.
Although there were plenty of people walking up, and I had some conversations, from the time I turned off the road at the Thibaut Cross I was walking alone, and stayed that way for a couple of miles.  A good time to think as I walked 
Then, round a corner, was the top - the Col de Lepoeder, and one pilgrim sitting at it - she'd started at 4am!  Within ten minutes several others turned up.
From there it's a fairly steep drop down into Roncesvalles.   I arrived at a little after noon, to find that the Auberge doesn't open for registration until 1pm.   So I sat and had a sandwich and drank my water until then.  Check in was quick - but then you can't actually go to a room until 2!   So a beer became a necessity - and the lady who'd been at the top before I arrived there turned up, so she had a beer too.
Now I'm in, showered, and having a rest.   There's a pilgrim's mass and blessing at 6, and dinner at 7.

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